Juan M Benalcazar

Juan Manuel Benalcazar, 100, longtime resident of Upper Arlington, passed away peacefully at home in Laguna Vista, TX on October 6, 2024. He was born on June 24, 1924 in central Ecuador and moved to the coastal town of Santo Domingo as a child. “Arnulfito” later attended Normal school in Uyumbicho where he met his wife, Sara Matilde, on the first day of school. They graduated as teachers and went on to found a school with missionaries from the Brethren Church, Escuela Brethren, for indigenous children and adults in Calderon,where they moved from Quito with their three children. As delegates of the Brethren Church, Juan and Matilde made trips to Iowa and North Manchester, IN where they added a fourth child to their family. They returned to Ecuador and the school in Calderon and, in 1964, permanently moved to the states where they eventually settled in Columbus. Juan attended The Ohio State University earning a B.S. in 1971 and a Masters in 1975. He taught for many years at Worthington High School where he also coached girl’s soccer. Coach B was a driving force behind developing the new girl’s soccer program and was beloved by his students, athletes and fellow teachers with whom he remained close. After retiring from teaching, he continued to lead a full and active life. Papa B and Mama B traveled the world and were always surrounded by friends and their growing family. Papa B was an avid tennis player and continued to play well into his nineties. Late in life, he moved to Laguna Vista under the loving care of his daughter, Carmela. There, “Daddy” quickly captured the hearts of the community with his smile and positivity. Endearing himself not only to friends, but caregivers alike with his well timed jokes and a rolling count of his age - 100 and 3 months! He had many gifts that he shared with the world including a profound ability to play any instrument by ear, a keen sense of humor and a relentless joy of life. He loved watching and playing sports, dancing, gardening, cooking, reading the newspaper, assigning nicknames, spending time with family and four-legged friends and was always up for a good party or an adventure. With his boundless optimism and capacity for love, Papa B made friends everywhere he went and will be missed greatly by all those blessed to have known him.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, siblings Carmelita, Carlotita, Hectitor, Enriqueta, Gonzalito and Celianita, son-in-law John Kowert, granddaughters Karen McCormick and Vanessa Gant-Benalcazar and niece Esperanza Rojas.

He is survived by his children Victor(Diana) Benalcazar, Berta Howard, Carmela Kowert and Benton(Katherine) Benalcazar, his grandchildren Brad(Anca) Howard, Megan(Todd) Waugh, Katie(Garrett) Steiner, Matthew McCormick, Beni Benalcazar and Gabriela(Henry) Taylor, his great grandchildren Nathan Howard, Lauren Howard, Audrey Steiner, Larkin Steiner, Julian Gant-Benalcazar and Baby Taylor, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and life-long friend Marquito Hidrobo.